Benton - Washington Regional Public Water Authority

Welcome to this year's Annual Municipal Water Quality Report. We designed this document to keep you informed about the quality water and services we deliver to your home daily. Our primary goal is to provide you with safe, dependable water, and we want you to understand our ongoing efforts to improve our treatment processes and protect our valuable water resources.

Where Does Our Water Come From?
Municipal water sources include rivers, lakes, streams, ponds, reservoirs, springs, and wells. Our specific source is surface water from Beaver Lake.

Is Our Water Source Safe?
The Arkansas Department of Health has completed a Source Water Vulnerability Assessment for our water authority. This assessment summarizes potential contamination risks and helps us develop protection plans. Based on multiple evaluation criteria, our water supply has been classified as having low susceptibility to contamination. You can request a summary of this assessment from our office.

Potential Contaminants in Water
As water flows over land or underground, it can pick up various substances including:

• Microbial contaminants like viruses and bacteria from sewage systems, livestock, or wildlife
• Inorganic contaminants such as salts and metals occurring naturally or from urban runoff and industrial activity
• Pesticides and herbicides from agriculture, urban runoff, and residential usage
• Organic chemical contaminants including synthetic and volatile organics from industrial processes and petroleum production
• Radioactive contaminants that can occur naturally or result from resource extraction activities

EPA regulations limit contaminant levels in public water systems to ensure safety, similar to FDA regulations for bottled water.

Health Considerations
While all water contains some contaminants, their presence doesn't necessarily indicate a health risk. However, certain populations may be more vulnerable, including immunocompromised individuals, cancer patients, organ transplant recipients, people with HIV/AIDS, the elderly, and infants. These individuals should seek specific advice from healthcare providers. For more information about contaminants and health effects, call the EPA's Safe Drinking Water Hotline at 1-800-426-4791.

Lead in Water
Elevated lead levels can cause serious health problems, especially for pregnant women and young children. Lead typically enters water from service lines and home plumbing materials, not the water source itself. To minimize potential exposure, run your tap for 30 seconds to 2 minutes before using water for cooking or drinking. If you're concerned, consider having your water tested. More information is available from the Safe Drinking Water Hotline or at http://www.Epa.Gov/safewater/lead.

Learn More
If you have questions about this report or our water utility, please contact Scott Borman, General Manager, at 479-925-7655. We want our customers to stay informed about their water utility. To learn more, attend our regularly scheduled meetings held on the fourth Thursday of every even month at 9:30 AM at our Water Treatment Plant located at 15531 Woods Lodge Road in Rogers.

1. Does the utility accept credit or debit cards for water bill payments?
2. How can I identify an official employee of the water authority?
3. Is a backflow prevention device required for my property?
4. Who maintains the water service line connecting to my residence?
5. What steps should I take if I notice a leak at my water meter?